17-BANI ISRAIL (THE CHILDREN OF ISRAIL)
NAME: In the initiatory ayat of the Surah an important chapter of the history of Bani Israil is referred, which gives the Surah its name.
TIME OF REVELATION: It is a Meccan Surah and from the topics it is surmised that it was revealed about one year before the migration to Madina, i.e. in the year 12 A. H.
CENTRAL THEME: To warn both Bani Israil and Bani Ismail (polytheists of Arabia) about the decision to hand over the Masjid-i-Haram (Sacred Mosque) and the Masjid-i-Aqsa to this Prophet; if they do not give up their transgression and rebellion and decide to clash with His messenger, then they should note that Allah’s whip will surely crack down on them; if they want to survive, then instead of creating obstructions in the path of the Prophet they should try to follow his teachings which have been revealed to him by Allah.
ORDER OF VERSES: It begins with the event of Mi’raj (Ascension), in which the hint is hidden that both the Masjid-i-Haram and the Masjidi- Aqsa will pass into the possession of the Prophet and his followers.
In ayat Nos. 2 to 8 referring to the Aqsa Mosque, the Bani Israil are warned as the instructive and admonitory events from the history of Bani Israil are unfolded before them.
Ayat Nos. 9 to 22 present the dawah of the Qur’an.
In ayat Nos. 23 to 39 the divine teachings are presented which beautify man’s character and strengthen his relationship with his Lord. In Verses Nos. 40 to 60, the doubts of the deniers are answered.
In Verses Nos. 61 to 65 that event about Iblis is narrated in which he gained the enmity of the human race by refusing to prostrate himself before Adam, and deciding to mislead them, and it is he who is today turning men against Qur’an. It is necessary that the people recognise their enemy and be wary of him.
Ayat Nos. 66 to 72 present points which instill a belief in tawheed and the Hereafter.
In ayat Nos. 73 to 77 the Prophet is warned to stand firmly on the path of truth while facing the storms of oppositions.
In ayat Nos. 78 to 82 emphasis is laid on establishing salat, besides giving a hint regarding migration that this event will soon take place, glad tidings of the supremacy of the truth and a stern warning to the wrong-doers.
In ayat Nos. 83 to 100, there are censure on the wrong conduct of man and answers to the objections of the deniers.
Ayat Nos. 101 to 104 narrate the miracles of Prophet Moosa and a further clarification that inspite of witnessing these miracles Firaun (pharaoh) did not accept Faith and ultimately the punishment came down upon him.
Verses Nos. 105 to 111 mark the end of the Surah, in which directions are given to observe certain etiquette while invoking God and to remember and recite His greatness and might. The Surah had begun with the point that Allah was Clean and Immaculate, and it ends with the point that He is an immensely great Being, therefore, proclaims His greatness.
17-Surah Bani Israil (The Children of Israil) Verses (ayaat) 111
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
1. Immaculate is He who carried His slave by night from Masjid-i-Haram (the Sacred Mosque) to the far distant Mosque, the surrounding of which We have blessed, so that We might show him some of Our signs. Verily, He alone hears all and observes all.1
2. And We gave Moosa the Book2 and appointed it a guidance for Bani Israil, saying: “Take no other guardian than Myself”.3
3. ” You are the descendants of those whom We carried (in the Ark) with Nooh4” Verily, he was a truly grateful slave.
4. And in the Book We declared for Bani Israil: “You verily will cause mischief in the earth twice, and you will become great transgressors.
5 “So when the time for fulfillment of the promise came, We sent against you slaves of Ours or great strength, who ravaged your dwellings, and the promise was fulfilled.6”
6. Then We gave you victory over them, and We aided you with wealth and children and increased your numbers.7“
7. If you did good, you did good for yourselves, and if you did evil, it is for the same.8 And when the time for the fulfillment of the second promise came, We sent, mighty slaves against you so that they might disfigure your faces and to enter the mosque as they entered it the first time, and to destroy everything that they laid their hands on.9
1. The event narrated in this ayah is known by the name of ‘Isra’ or ‘Mi’raj’. Here is described the traveling of a distance from Makkah to Baitul Maqdis in one night, which was the first stage of Mi’raj (Ascension). As for the second stage in which the Prophet was carried to ‘Sidratul Muntaha’ located in the seventh heaven, it has been narrated in the Surah An-Najm. Therefore, we will confine ourselves to explain only those points which relate to the first stage of this journey, i.e. Isra (the journey up to Baitul Maqdis).
In the ayah, the word ‘Abd’ (slave) refers to the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam), and Allah’s saying that He carried His slave is the manifestation of that special favour which was bestowed on this slave.
By Masjid-i-Haram is meant that holy mosque in whose ground the House of Ka’ba is situated, and whose founder was Prophet Ibrahim, circa 2000 B.C. By distant mosque is meant Aqsa Mosque which is situated in Baitul Maqdis. Aqsa means one that is distant. By this Quran hints at the point that the mosque in Baitul Maqdis is far away from Makkah, but Allah made His Prophet cover this long distance in a part of one night. Because of this reference in Quran, this mosque of Baitul Maqdis came to be known as Masjid-i- Aqsa, though at the time of the revelation of Quran this mosque was not known by this name. This mosque of Baitul Maqdis was built by Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon) circa 1000 B.C. (Probably 959 B.C.), which served as a religious center for the Islamic dawah and religious activities of the Bani Israil, besides being their Qiblah.
Blessing its surroundings means that this whole region was replete with worldly and religious auspiciousness and blessings. So far as the religious blessings are concerned, this land is the place of migration of Prophet Ibrahim and the abode of Prophet Ishaq. Moreover, many prophets of Bani Israil appeared in this land and they have left such footprints in this land which guided the people of the world after them. Here Prophet Sulaiman was granted a matchless kingdom and Bani Israil were granted those favours which were not granted to any other nation in the world. In other words, every part of this land, being the memorial of the prophets of Allah was abounding in religious treasures. As regards the worldly blessings, this region is very fertile and green. And in the Bible this region is praised and is mentioned to be having the rivers of milk and honey flowing.
The distance between Baitul Maqdis and Makkah is about 1000 miles. In those days this journey took about 40 days to cover this distance, but Allah arranged for the Prophet to cover it within a night. In the hadith it is mentioned that the Prophet rode a ‘Buraq’, and Archangel Jibril was with him, that is this journey was covered on a carrier of lightning-speed: Such a thing appeared very strange in those days, but in these days it does not seem a bit unusual when man has invented extremely fast speeding rockets and aeroplane, because when man can cover a distance of months’ journeys in a few hours, then is not the Lord of the universe capable and powerful enough to arrange for His Prophet to journey from Makkah to Baitul Maqdis in a few minutes?
That is why this surah starts with the words that the Being of Allah is Immaculate, i.e. it is not beyond the power of Allah to arrange for such a miraculous journey. Those who consider such a thing impossible are under a wrong impression about Allah’s might.
It also clears the point that the journey of the Prophet was physical and it was undertaken in a state of wakefulness. If it were to be a spiritual journey or a dream-state journey, then it would not have been stated that we carried our slave in one night, nor this would have been a means of testing people.
Whoever would study the ayah with a clear mind, he would not help feeling that through these words information of an extra-ordinary event is being imparted. It is further supported by a hadith in Bukhari, in which the Prophet states: “When the Quraish belied me, I stood in Hijr (the external part of the House of Ka’ba). At that time Allah made Baitul Maqdis appear before me, I was pointing out to them the various signs from it by seeing it. (Bukhari-Hadithul Isra)
If despite this people indulge in argumentation, then they are warned that Allah is listening to everything they talk and He observes everything they do.
As for the objective of this journey, it is stated in the ayah that Allah wanted to show some of His signs to His Prophet. By the signs are meant those signs which are found in the Aqsa Mosque, and which reflect on monotheism, worship of only one God, the common dawah of the prophets, and their struggle for the religion of truth, the history of the rise and fall of Bani Israil, and Allah’s law of reward and punishment. Since the Prophet was to be made the ‘Nabiul Qiblatain’ (the Prophet of two Qiblas), this observation of the Aqsa Mosque holds considerable significance. Besides these signs, the wonders of the Nature were also to be shown.
It should be noted that the month and the date on which this event took place is neither narrated by the Qur’an nor any tradition of the Prophet. As regards the narratives, they are various in this connection, and it is a proof of the fact that the objective was not to observe this night every year, else its clarification would have been given either in the Qur’an or the hadith. As for the custom of the Muslims to observe this night on the 27th of the month of Rajab, it seems to be the Muslims’ own invention. It has no reality in the religion. Neither is this night specified for special prayers, nor is there any command to observe this night as a special “night.
2. That is: The Torah.
3. Even today the lesson of monotheism can be found in the Torah. For example, in the Exodus it is stated: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20: 2,3)
4. That is: O Mankind, with the Bani Israil all of you are the descendants of those who were made to ride in the Ark of Nooh and were saved from certain destruction in the deluge. The entire mankind is under obligation to Allah for this favour, and every man should be grateful to Him. Man can be grateful to Allah when he recognises Him as his real Benefactor.
5. The Book, as is mentioned above, is the Book of Moosa, the Torah. According to the statement of the Qur’an, two prophecies were made in the Torah that Bani Israil would cause mischief and corruption in the land twice and they would indulge in frightening transgression, which would bring in their destruction twice. This topic has not survived in the present Torah in these words, but some hints at these happenings are however found in it:
“But if you will not hearken to me, and will not do all these commandments,——— but break my covenant, I will do this to you: and you shall be smitten before your enemies; those who hate you shall rule over you,———And if in spite of this you will not hearken to me, but walk contrary to me, then I will walk contrary to you in fury,———— And I will unslay your cities waste, and will make your sanctuaries desolate,——— and I will scatter you among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword after you; and your land shall be desolation, and your cities shall be a waste.” (Lev 26: 14 to 33) “
If you are not careful to do all the words, of this law which are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awful name, the LORD your God, then the LORD will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions, ————and you shall be plucked off the land which you are entering to take possession of it. And the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one and of the earth to the other; (Deut 28:58to 64)
Then when Bani Israil had become morally corrupt and characterless, the people generally indulged in transgression morally, then Prophet Eremiah warned them in time and informed them of their destruction at the hands of the king of Babylon: “
Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts:
Because you have not obeyed my words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, says the LORD, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these nations round about; ———-——This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. (Jeremiah 25: 8 to 11)
6. Refers to the attack of the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, which he launched on the kingdom of the Jews in 586-588 B.C. He completely destroyed the Jewish center, Jerusalem, so much so that he demolished the holy mosque. He killed thousands of Jews, and carried away countless persons as male and female slaves. A commentator on Bible writes: “When the Babylonians finally broke into the city they levelled the walls and palaces and razed the temple to the ground. Zedekiah’s sons were slain in front of him, and he himself was blinded and carried to Babylon in chains. The greater part of the population of Jerusalem was taken into exile with him. Thus the kingdom of David came to a tragic end. (The Interpreter’s commentary on the Bible P. 1025)
This was the great punishment which was meted out to Bani Israil on their first social corruption. It is also elicited that when corruption becomes common in a nation and it becomes a transgression, then Allah causes its enemy nation to overpower it and causes the tyrants to rule over it. This is a very painful form of the Divine punishment.
7. During the slavery of Bani Israil in Babylon various movements of reformation were launched and gradually they turned towards God. Ultimately Divine mercy returned to them and they were relieved from their slavery of Babylon. It came about in this way that the king of Persia, Cyrus, conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. and thereafter he allowed the Jews to go back to Jerusalem and to construct God’s house there. Thus the Jews got the opportunity to return to their center and to construct Baitul Maqdis. Then Prophet Uzair explained and clarified the Torah before them in such a way that a new life surged in the Jews and they became prepared to give up anti- Shariah practices and to follow the Divine Shariah. (For details, see Surah At-Taubah, Note No.58). This was the new life for Bani Israil, and when the Divine mercy came back to them, then all circumstances became favourable to them, there was abundance of provisions and increased birth rate.
It is also elicited incidentally that accelerated births and the increased numbers of individuals in a nation is Allah’s blessings and favour, and therefore, people of faith do appreciate it. As for the formula for family planning, they suit well those who are unable to appreciate God and His blessings.
8. This is really the declaration of that Divine tradition, according to which if the social character of a nation, which is also bearer of the Divine Scripture, is good and exemplary, then Allah blesses it with his favours and it gains honour and ascendancy in the world, and if its social character is corrupt, then Allah causes its enemy nation to rule over it, and makes it taste disgrace.
9. This is a reference to the second instance of great corruption of Bani Israil and the resultant destruction. This corruption was more severe than the first one, as religion was followed merely for appearance’s sake. To incline them towards religion and to instill spirit of religion in them Allah sent among them Prophets Yahya and Eesa. But the Jewish ruler of the time on a demand from a dancer caused the beheading of Prophet Yahya and presented his head to the dancer (Injeel, Mathew, Chapter 14). And the Jews spared no efforts in working against Prophet Eesa until they were set to kill him. This was their second frightening corruption, about whose adverse effect Prophet Eesa had informed them in these words: “
Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon onother, that will not be thrown down.”(Math: 24:2) “
Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children for behold, the days are coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren, and the breasts that never gave suck.” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us;” and to the hills, “Cover us.” (Luke 23 : 28 to 30)
And the punishment for this great corruption was meted out to the Jews in this way that in the year 70 A. D. Titus of Rome attacked Baitul Maqdis and razed it to the ground. The holy mosque (Temple of Solomon) was destroyed and countless people were done to death. This tragic event scattered Bani Israil so badly that they took shelter in various foreign countries around the world.
It may be that your Lord will have mercy on you, and if you repeat (the evil act), We will repeat (the punishment). We have appointed Hell a prison-house for the disbelievers”.(Al-Quran) ”
8. It may be that your Lord will have mercy on you, and if you repeat (the evil act), We will repeat (the punishment).10 We have appointed Hell a prison-house for the disbelievers”. 11
9. Verily, this Qur’an guides to that path which is the straightest,12 and gives glad tidings to the believers who perform good acts that theirs will be a great reward.
10, And for those who do not believe in the Hereafter, We have prepared a painful punishment.
11.+ And man prays for evil as he prays for good, for man was very hasty.13
12.+ And we made the night and the day two signs. Then We made the sign of the night dark, and made the sign of the day bright, so that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and so that you may know the calculation of the years, and the reckoning.14 And We have expounded everything in detail.15
13.+ And every man’s fate We have attached to his own neck, and on the Day of Resurrection We will bring forth for him a book which he will find wide open.16
14.+ Read your book (of deeds)! Today, enough you are to take your own account.17
15.+ Whoever takes guidance, it is for the good of himself, and whoever goes astray, does so to his own disadvantage. No burdenbearer will bear another’s burden.18 And We do not punish (a people) until We have sent a messenger.19
16.+ When we intend to annihilate a people, We command those among them who live in comfort, then they transgress therein, so the word (of punishment) becomes applicable to them, and We annihilate it with complete annihilation.20
10. After narrating this instructive and tragic events from the history of Bani Israil, the Jews are told that the coming of this Prophet has provided them with one more opportunity to make themselves deserving of the mercy of God; even now if they pay heed and follow the guidance which has been revealed to this Prophet, the gates of Divine mercy will open up for them. But if they oppose this Prophet and adopt an attitude of transgression, then they should note that Allah will surely crack down His whip of punishment on them.
In spite of this warning of Qur’an when the tribes of Jews living around Madina rose as opponents of the Qur’an and enemies of the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam), and indulged in scheming and plotting against him, Allah caused them to taste His wrath. Accordingly in the presence of the Prophet of Islam they have to receive the punishment at the hands of the people of faith.
Bani Qainqa’ and Bani Nadhir were exiled and Bani Quraizah were put down by the sword. As for the Jews of Khaibar, they had to live under subjugation and in the time of Umar (R)’ caliphate they were also exiled.
After living scattered for a long time, the Jews are now gathering in Palestine, and their collecting in one place is becoming dangerous for the world peace. It appears that Allah wants to inflict a very heavy punishment on them. It would not be surprising if the lightning of His wrath strikes their nest and turns it into ashes. The signs hint at such an end. However, the Unseen is known to Allah only.
11. That is: Those who are in reality disbelievers, but in appearance pose as believers in the Divine Book, in the Hereafter their abode will be the prison-house of Hell.
12. This is an invitation to the nations of the world that they should follow the way towards which the Qur’an is giving them a call, and they should follow it because it is the straightest path, and the desired goal—success in the Hereafter— can be reached by following it only.
The path towards which Qur’an is calling is the straight path from every aspect. It appeals to the intelligence. Nature gives evidence of its rightness. The good taste shouts that it is the truth. This path had been the path followed by the prophets of Allah. The justice, on which the heaven and the earth are sustained, is found in this path. This reaches and guides to the Lord of the worlds. The common parlance name of this path is the Religion of Islam. As regards the other paths, whether religious or free from religion, are not straight from any aspect, nor do they reach God.
13. That is: Man’s behaviour is strange. He should pray to God for his good, but in unhelpful circumstance and in haste he prays to his Lord for his own evil. This is a common weakness of a human being, in which men and women are equal participants. Besides this general meaning or the verse, it particularly refers to the infidels of Makkah who were demanding of the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) that he should hasten the Divine punishment about which he was warning them. They are being told that for them good has come down from their Lord in the form of Qur’an and their reaction should have been that they would pray for this good for themselves from their Lord, but instead of rushing to this good fortune they are demanding for punishment, which if it came down would be an evil consequence for them.
14.That is: These signs of the night and day, which you observe daily, are, if you ponder, sufficient to change your point or view. If the day were not be made bright, the work of seeking Allah,s favours i.e. economic striving could not have been taken up, but the occurrence of the night and the day provided both the advantages to you, and another advantage is that by counting both these man can calculate the years and other relevant reckoning, e.g. the events of the past as to when did they occur, or that how many hour of the day have passed and how many hours of the night are remaining, etc. Thus it became easier for man to prepare his time table.
These clear signs or Allah’s Lordship invite man to follow his Lord’s path—and Qur’an invites man to this only.
15. The things which were necessary for the guidance of man have been clearly mentioned in detail in the Qur’an. Now there is no chance for man to say that the signs of path of truth have not been manifested to him clearly.
16. Man’s good fortune or bad fate is hidden in his own acts, and the record of every man’s acts has been made a necklace around his neck. This record will come to his view as an open register before his eyes on the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, the adversity or fate does not depend on any external augury but is connected with his own acts.
The good or bad effect of what a man does is felt by him in his own heart, and its memory is preserved in his conscious or subconscious mind. This is the indication of the fact that none of his acts is without an effect or result, and that his record is being preserved.
With regard to the question that when our record of acts is hanging around our necks, then why is it that we are unable to see it, the answer is: if we were to see it with our physical eyes, where would the trial remain, when Allah has created this world to test mankind, and our examination and test lie in our using our intellect and commonsense in the light of the Divine revelations and accepting those Unseen realities and in adjusting our conduct and acts in accordance with them.
17. In view of this reality, an intelligent man takes the account of his deeds in the world itself so that he may not be regretful on the Day of Resurrection.
18. On the Day of judgment every person will bear the burden of his or her sin, he or she will not bear the burden of any other person. On that day you cannot lighten your burden of sins by saying that you were misguided by a particular chief, sardar or leader or saint, or that Satan is responsible for your straying, therefore, those who misguided you should bear the burden of your sins. Nay, they will bear their own burden and you will bear your own.
19. Means that punishment which obliterates nations from the page of existence, and which is a touchstone for the right and falsehood. The punishment, which obliterated the nations A’d, Thamud, nations of loot and of Firaun, etc., came down on them after the messengers of Allah convincingly conveyed Allah’s message to them. That very divine tradition has been mentioned here.
Therefore, to conclude from this that those people to whom the message of the Prophet did not reach are neither answerable before God, nor would they receive any punishment for their evil acts is not only against the clear teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah but is also an unreasonable stand. Qur’an says that there are a number of evil acts, and awareness of their evil is ingrained in the human nature. If a man commits an evil act, he is a sinner and he is answerable before God. From the ahadith also it is learnt that before the coming of the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) those who spread idolatry and obscenity, like ‘Amar bin Lahy, Umraul Qais, etc., have become liable to be sent to Hell.
And so far as the intellect is concerned, it considers any one who commits an obvious evil act e.g. a tyrant or an unjust murderer as a criminal and a sinner irrespective of whether the message of Allah’s messenger has reached him or not. However, in the case of the message of the Prophet not reaching them, what is the limit of their responsibility and to what extent they deserve to be forgiven, is known to Allah only. These matters will be decided on the Day of Judgment, therefore, for us it is sufficient to understand the principle only without indulging in unnecessary debates and discussions, sufficient it would be for us to worry about what we are doing for our own salvation after the message of Allah’s messenger has reached us, and what steps we are taking to convey this message to other slaves of God.
20. In the foregoing ayah, the Divine tradition was clarified in the matter of punishment to the nations. In this ayah this aspect is being brought into focus that a township is subjected to destruction when sinning becomes common and rampant. The form it takes is like this: the well-to-do people of the township including the ruling class, the rich and the leaders are commanded to obey Allah. Accordingly, Allah’s messengers specifically address this section of the populace, so that Allah’s message may be said to have been convincingly conveyed to them, and through them to the common people. But these people are so much absorbed in their love of material world and are so intoxicated in their luxuries that they do not care for Allah’s commands. They themselves indulge in sinning, in disobeying Allah’s commands, they also promote sinning and crimes against Allah by propagating false philosophical ideas and arguments. In this way the whole township becomes liable to receive divine punishment, and Allah completely destroys such a township by sending one or the other natural calamity. In the following verse those nations have been pointed out to whom such a treatment was meted out.
Some commentators have taken great pains in trying to explain the meaning of the words ‘Amarna’ (We command). Someone has taken it to mean the command that fixes the destiny at the time of creation, i.e. We command that your destiny will be that you will indulge in sinning, etc, and someone has interpreted it in some other way. But literally as well as with reference to the context it means the same thing which has been stated above. In Arabic when the word’ Amarna’ is used independently, without any qualification, it means general command to obey. Accordingly, Ibn Jarir Tabari has preferred’ this meaning, and Allama Shaukani writes: “
Any person who knows Arabic language would understand only this meaning for the wording that the thing which was commanded was different from sinning; because sinning is negative of ‘amr’ (command to do good) and is its contradictory term. Therefore, the words ‘amartuhu fafasaqa’ (I commanded him but he sinned) these words show that the thing which he was commanded to do has not been done, for ‘fisq’ means the commitment of a thing which is the opposite of what is commanded,” -( Fathul Qadeer, Vol. III, page 214).
17.+ How many generations have We destroyed after Nooh ! And Allah suffices as Knower and Beholder of the sins of His slaves.
18.+ Whoever desires the quick-passing world, We will give him therein whatever We will and to whomsoever We will, thereafter We have prepared for him, Hell wherein he will burn, condemned, rejected.21
19.+ And whoever desires the (life of) Hereafter and strives for it with the necessary effort, and he be a believer, their effort shall be appreciated.22
20.+ To every one We Supply provisions (for living), both these and those, from the bounty of your Lord. And the bounty of your Lord is not denied to anyone.23
21.+ See how have we exalted one (group) over another (group),24 and verily there are higher ranks in the Hereafter and greater exaltations. 25
22.+ Do not make with Allah any other god, lest you sit down reproved, forsaken.26
23.+ Your Lord has decreed that you worship none save Him,27 and you treat your parents with kindness. If with you one of them or both of them attain old age, do not say “Fie” to them nor refuse them anything harshly, and speak to them a respectful speech.28
24.+ And lower to them the wing of submission with mercy,29 and pray: “My Lord! Have mercy on them both as they brought me up when I was an infant.”30
25.+ Your Lord best knows what is in your hearts.31 If you become righteous, then verily He is ever Forgiving to those who turn (to Him).32
26.+ Give the kinsman his due, and the destitute and the wayfarer,33 and squander not (your wealth) wastefully.34
21. In the text the word used is’ Ajilah,’ which means that which hastens, which means the world, that gives its benefits quickly, and to be desirous of it means to be desirous of world’s temporary and quickly-achieved benefits. A person who makes the world as his goal, it is not necessary that he should always get many worldly benefits quickly and immediately, but this depends on the will of Allah. He may decide how much and when to give to anybody. This pertains to the achievement of the worldly benefits. After this there is no share for such a man in the benefits of the Hereafter, on the contrary he will have to face very bad conditions, and deprived of Allah’s mercy will have to enter the Hell. This severe punishment will be given to him, because he was sent to the world for keeping the benefits of the Hereafter in view and to act in the world in such a way that the result of his acts should give good rewards in the Hereafter, but he did not care for the Hereafter and engaged himself for his whole life in gathering the benefits of the world. In this way he lived as transgressor against his Lord and so his whole life was a great mistake.
22. Man in reality has been created by his Lord not for this world but for the next world. The world is only a stage in man’s life, after passing from which he has to dwell permanently in the realm of the Hereafter. Therefore, to consider the Hereafter as objective of life and to make it a center and axis of all activities is in consonance with this reality which is active not only in the creation of man but also of the whole universe. This ayah clarifies that for Allah the efforts of only those people are acceptable and appreciable who have made the Hereafter as their objective, their goal, and made efforts to achieve it as it deserved,— such efforts which are made by a man who believes in the Hereafter and the method for which has been shown by the Qur’an. There is also a condition that such a person should be a momin, a Muslim, a believer, i.e. he believes in all those things, which Qur’an has declared necessary to believe in.
23. That is: They may either be the seekers of this world or the next world, whether faithful or infidel, everybody in the world is being provided the necessary provisions for living by their Lord, and nobody is denied His bounty. This bounty is common, exactly according to that wisdom according to which this world was created.
24. That is: Those who have made success in the Hereafter as their goal in this life have superiority over others, and this can be observed in this world itself. Their attachment to their Lord, their fear of Him, timely paying the dues of others, sense of responsibility, trustworthiness and honesty, lawful earning, avoidance of unlawful things, expenditure in good cause, sacrifice for truth, patience, forbearance love for justice and other moral qualities and good conduct speak for their exalted position and superiority, even if they are insignificant and unimportant from the standpoint of wealth.
25. In the Hereafter the people of faith will have manifest superiority over the infidels. Accordingly, the infidels will be in lower section of the Hell, while the people of faith in the high and exalted Paradise. Then the people of faith will be the recipients of high ranks according to their degrees of faith and acts, and in proportion to this they will gain superiority.
26.That is: If you would believe in any other god in association with Allah, then your condition will be such as you will receive reproaches and rebukes from every quarter and you will be totally helpless.
27. This is the definite and final decision of Allah that you should worship Him alone and none other. In the foregoing ayah joining any other being with Allah as god was forbidden, and in this ayah worshipping any being other than Allah is forbidden. From this it becomes abundantly clear that worshipping a being other than Allah amounts to making that being as god, whether one may call it vocally god or not, e.g. if a man worships land (Bhoomi puja), it is open polytheism and it is declaring land as god and worthy of worship.
It should be noted that the word ‘Ibadat’ means worship, which has been commanded to be reserved only for Allah alone. As for the obedience it is its natural demand, therefore, commands concerning obedience have been given separately after that. The difference between worship and obedience should be always kept in view, or else the importance of worship in religion will not remain at a level which is its due. (For further explanation, please see Surah Hood, Note No. 5)
On this ‘occasion we consider it necessary to clarify that the opinion of some people, about the commands given in this ayah and the following ayat, that their significance was that of the constitution of the Islamic state of Madina, is not correct. Constitution is a technical term of politics, and here neither politics is under discussion nor the state, but here those good attributes have been mentioned which make a person a worthy human being and which help him to achieve success in the Hereafter and when a group of men, possessing these good qualities appears, then its politics is also coloured in this hue and the system of the state takes its shape according to these good attributes. Therefore, it is not necessary to give these commands a political colour, otherwise the disadvantage would be that the reader’s mind would be misled to think that the addressee of these commands is the Islamic state and not he, and the spirit of these commands will suffer. Such far-fetched explanations do not help in preparing rightful re1igious minds.
28. Among the slaves of God the greatest right is that of the parents, and it is because they brought up the children. It is their right that the children should treat them respectfully and kindly throughout life, i.e. they should treat them kindly, should serve them, should spend for them if it becomes necessary, should not become disobedient and should not cause them pain.
In old age parents become more deserving of service and at this time they become very irritable. Therefore, it has been emphatically stated that nothing should be said which would hurt them, nor should they be denied anything with harshness, but they should be spoken to with respect and tenderness.
29.That is: Treat them with love and tenderness, and deal with them in the nicest possible manner.
30. That is: You should not forget that your parents had undergone untold sufferings in bringing you up. Remembering this obligation of theirs, you should pray for them for mercy. This prayer for their sake is in view of their external condition and old age, therefore, even if they are not Muslims there is nothing wrong in praying for them. As for the prayer for salvation for the polytheist parents, it cannot be done as stated in Surah Taubah, ayah No.113 (See Surah Taubah, Note No.299).
31. That is: He knows very well your intentions, your feelings, and the state of your hearts (minds).
32. If you have committed any faults in your treatment of your parents, then seek Allah’s forgiveness repenting for them and mend yourself for future, for Allah accepts the repentance of those who become righteous, and forgives their faults.
33. By the due here is meant the financial dues, which are ascertained according to their needs and an individual’s personal circumstances. Moreover, this due or right is not limited to the amount of zakat only, but can be beyond that.
34. ‘Tabzeer’ (Wasteful expenditure) means unnecessary spending of wealth, and unnecessary expenditure makes a person careless of paying the dues of others. Those, who get wealth in abundance, think it to be their own property, and then they spend it in unlawful acts and in fulfilling their own desires recklessly, though the wealth is a trust from Allah, which he is responsible to spend in lawful acts, besides others also have some rights in that wealth, and paying those dues is his responsibility. On account of lack of correct Islamic perspective about the wealth and property and for want of a sense of responsibility in this connection, a person spends his wealth senselessly and irresponsibly.
Verily the squanderers are brothers of Satans, and the Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord. But if, while waiting for your Lord’s mercy, for which you hope, you have to avoid them, then speak to them kindly. (Al-Quran)
27.+ Verily the squanderers are brothers of Satans, and the Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.35
28.+ But if, while waiting for your Lord’s mercy, for which you hope, you have to avoid them, then speak to them kindly.36
29.+ And let not your hand be chained to your neck nor open with a complete opening, lest you sit down rebuked, helpless.37
30.+ Verily your Lord gives the provision abundantly to whom He will and sparingly38' (to whom He will). Verily, He is Aware and sees His slaves.
31.+ Do not slay your children for fear of poverty, We provide for them also as We provide for you.39 Verily their slaying is great sin.40
32.+ Do not go near to adultery. Verily it is open shamefulness and an evil way.41
33.+ And slay not the life which Allah has forbidden save with right.42 And whoever is slain wrongfully, We have given the authority to his heir, so let him not commit excess in slaying.43 Verily he has been helped.44
34.+ And do not go near the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better until he attains his age of strength;45 and keep the covenant. Verily, of the covenant it will be asked.
35.+ Give full measure, when you measure,46 and weigh with even scales. That is fair and better in the end.47
36.+ Do not be after that of which you have no knowledge.48 Verily, the hearing, the sight and the heart each of these will be asked.49
35. ‘ Wealth is a great blessing from Allah and its wasteful expenditure is the greatest act lack of appreciation for that blessing. Therefore, whoever spends his wealth wastefully, establishes his relation with Satan, who is the most ungrateful creature.
36. That is: If your financial condition is not such that you may be able to help them, then you should speak to them softly and in such a way that would be sympathetic towards them.
It is also learnt from this ayah that you may be expectant of Allah’s favours for payment of dues of others and for meeting their rights and to make further efforts in that direction is an approved thing.
37. Hand being chained to the neck is an idiom which is used to connote stinginess, miserliness, and opening it with a complete opening means to be a spendthrift. It means that a man should neither be miserly nor a spendthrift in spending his wealth for himself and his kinsmen, but he should be a balanced person in this regard. Those who spend abundantly earn a bad name and helplessness. As against this balance in expenditure makes a man dignified and this practice becomes a means of goodness and blessing for him.
38. This has been explained in Surah Ra’d, Note No.58.
39. This has been explained in Surah An’am Note No.276.
40. That is: To kill one’s own children is not an ordinary thing, but it is a great sin.
In pre-Islamic Arabia children used to be buried alive for fear of poverty, or they used to be killed by other methods, therefore, its mention has been made specifically, otherwise whatever be the motive for killing the children, this heinous act is a great sin.
Modern civilization has made unlawful sex a common thing, with the result that illegitimate children are conceived in large numbers, and in order to hide this people do not hesitate to kill the children as soon as they are born. Thus they become guilty of first illegal sexual act and secondly of wrongful murder.
41. Illegal sex out of wedlock is forbidden in Islam in all circumstances, even if the male or the female or both commit it willingly, and irrespective of the fact whether the person or persons concerned are married or unmarried.
The fact of illegal sex being a shameful act is a self-evident truth. Its being an evil way is also well-known, for once a person enters this lane he loses his morality and follows the evil way.
The instruction to keep away from adultery has been given in the ayah with such an emphasis that it requires a person to totally’ avoid all those things which lead to it. (See Surah Al-An’am Note No.277).
In a hadith the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) has listed the preamble of adultery (things that lead to it) in this way: “
The part which a man plays in adultery is written, which (i.e. his sin) he will definitely get. Accordingly the adultery of the eyes is (lustful) look, the adultery of the ears is hearing ( sexy talk), the adultery of the tongue is talking (about romantic things), the adultery of the hand is gripping (with lust), and the adultery of the feet are the steps (which proceed in this direction). The heart desires and longs, and the genitals either confirm or contradict it.” -(Muslim -Kitabul Qadr).
42. For explanation, please see’Surah Al- An’am, Note No.278).
43. The word ‘Wali’ used here means heir, that can be one or more. The heir has been given the authority to either accept from the killer compensation (blood money) or to kill him in retaliation. Committing excess in this connection means that no person other than the murderer be killed. In the pre-Islamic days (Jahiliyah) in retaliation of one person killed more than one person used to be killed, or instead of the killer an influential person of the tribe used to be killed. These practices were against justice and fairplay, and were therefore, forbidden.
This was the ignorant way of the Arabs, But the ignorant way of the modern times is in no way less reprehensible, which is demonstrated in India. When there is a communal tension in a town and a person of one community is killed, then people of that community kill another man of the killer’s community, even if that person is an innocent pedestrian and had nothing to do with the first killing. And such a killing is not considered wrong although killing someone else other than the killer is absolutely wrong and tyrannous.
This is a Meccan Surah, in which the heir of the wrongfully killed person has been given the authority to kill the killer when the Islamic state had not been established. From this it is clear that the authority to kill a killer in a non-Islamic state is given to a Muslim by the Shariah, however it is a different matter if the laws of that non- Islamic state do not grant this authority to its Muslim subjects.
It should also be noted that in this ayah the authority to kill the killer has been given to the heirs of the killed person, but subsequently when an Islamic state was established in Madina, it took the responsibility to enforce this authority. In other words, the developed form of this law is that it would be enforced by the Islamic court. Accordingly, the famous Missionary and jurist of Islam, Abdul Qadir Audah Shaheed in his explanation of this law states: “
The principle is that the enforcement of the punishments for crimes of retribution, like the punishments for other crimes, has been left to the persons in authority, but in exceptional cases permission is given to execute the punishment of retribution through the heir of the killed person, and this ayah (No.33) is the source for it. And it is agreed on all sides that the heir of the killed person has the right to take the retribution, provided the execution takes place under the supervision of the government, because it is a matter in which ‘ijtihad’ ( decision taking) is involved, and in such matter any kind of excess is haram.” (At- Tashri’ul Jinaiul Islami-Vol.I, page 757).
44. That is: The help and support of the Shariah and the Islamic Society is available to the heirs of the killed person, therefore, he should be within the limits of the Shariah.
45. This has been explained in Surah An-Nisa, Note No.17).
46.That is: Measures for measurement and weighing should be correct as also they should be used honestly. Short measurement and dishonest methods in weighing and measuring are used by those who are not mindful of their accountability on the Day of Judgment.
This point leads to the principle that man should be honest in all his affairs and dealings in his daily life. (For further explanation, please see Note No.1, Surah Tatfeef).
47. This practice is good, for it creates confidence and exercises good influence. This practice results in good and auspicious progress in business.
As for the end being better, it means that the end in the Hereafter will be better and pleasant, It is only for those who prove their honesty in their dealings, and not for those who employ all kinds of tricks and dishonesty in enhancing their business prospects.
48. This is a comprehensive guidance about things which include imputing motives to Allah without any reasoning, superstition, to give importance to absurd narratives, to talk unreasonably in religious matters, to philosophies about Unseen realities and debating about them, to believe in hearsay about jinns, to form bad opinion without any valid reason, and to accuse without making sure about the facts, etc.
49. That is: The faculties of hearing, sight and thinking are a trust from God, which has been given for correct use. On the Day of Judgment every individual will be asked whether he used these faculties rightly or wrongly.
Do not walk proudly on earth. Verily you cannot rend the earth, nor can you stretch to the height of the hills. The evil of all that is hateful in the sight of your Lord. This is (part) of that wisdom which your Lord sent you as revelation. And do not set up with Allah another god, lest you be thrown into Hell, reproved, rejected. (Al-Quran)
37.+ Do not walk proudly on earth. Verily you cannot rend the earth, nor can you stretch to the height of the hills.50
38.+ The evil of all that is hateful in the sight of your Lord.51
39.+ This is (part) of that wisdom which your Lord sent you as revelation.52 And do not set up with Allah another god,53 lest you be thrown into Hell, reproved, rejected.
40.+ Has your Lord then blessed you by giving you sons, and has taken for Himself angels as female (children)?54 Verily you speak a very harsh word!
41.+ Surely We have clarified in this Qur’an (the truth) so that they may be reminded,55 but it has only increased their aversion.56
42.+ Say:”If there were other gods with Him, as they say, then they would have sought a way against the Lord of the Throne.”57
43.+ Immaculate is He, High Exalted above what they say.
44.+ The seven heavens and the earth and all that is therein praise His immaculateness, and there is not a thing that does not praise His immaculateness, but you do not understand their praise58.+ Verily He is Forbearing, Forgiving.59
45.+ And when you recite the Qur’an, We place between you and those who do not believe in the Hereafter a hidden veil;60
46.+ And We place upon their hearts covers lest they should understand it, and in their ears hardness of hearing;61 and when you make a mention of your one Lord in the Qur’an, they turn away in flight.62
47.+ We well know what they hear when they turn to hear you and when they parley secretly, when the wrong-doers say: “You follow but a man bewitched.”63
50. That is: Do not be proud and strut haughtily. You are not powerful enough to rend the earth by striking it with your foot, nor can you reach up to the height of the mountain by stretching your neck. Then why this pride ? Man should realise the might and greatness of Allah, and considering his own helplessness should walk meekly on earth.
51. That is: Every forbidden thing which has been mentioned above is evil and therefore is disapproved of by God.
52. That is: All these commands are based on wisdom. If you contemplate, your intellect and, nature would bear witness that these are wise things and are such as will put a man on the path of virtue and betterment.
53. The command had begun with the teachings about monotheism and it is also ending on the note of monotheism. In other words, tawheed or monotheism only is the source of the Shariah and these commands are its practical demands. With monotheism, worship and obedience are also necessary.
54. Its explanation is given in Surah Nahl, Note No.79.
55. 1ts explanation is given in Surah An’am, Note No.109.
56. Allah has employed various styles and methods in the Qur’an to explain its teachings to the people, arguments have been presented as well as historical events that are instructive, admonitions as well as warnings, realities and similes, but those who are obstinate, they are not influenced by any counsel. They give wrong meaning to the teachings of Qur’an, with the result that their distance from the truth goes on increasing.
57. Presumably if the claim of the polytheists were true that there are many gods in the universe, then all the lesser gods would have rushed to subjugate the God who is the: owner of the Arsh(Throne), and who is in control of the entire universe. And if there would have been a struggle among the gods for power, then how the system of the universe would have run smoothly ? In such an event, this universe would have collapsed in no time. But you have seen that such is not the case. No defect or fault is observed in the system of the universe, which is a clear proof of the fact that the entire universe is being rule by only one God, nor is there another god, nor has anybody any share in the government of the one and only Allah.
58. This is an Unseen reality from which the Qur’an has lifted the veil. It explains that there is nothing in the universe that does not sing the praises of Allah, His Greatness and Immaculateness. It does not mean that everything sings, His praises symbolically but it physically does so, however, it is quite a different thing that we are not able to understand it.
Today modern science has considerably enriched human knowledge. The modern theory about atom is that Electron particles revolve round its nucleus. In other words every particle is in motion, but this motion and revolution is not seen by us. And on account of its not being seen by us, we cannot deny its existence. Then if the divine revelation, which is a source of certain knowledge, informs us that everything in the universe sings praises of Allah, then why should we not believe in it ? Merely on the ground that its denial will be proper as we do not hear this hidden voice? By lifting the veil from the secrets of the universe Qur’an has added considerably to man’s knowledge so that he may find the light of faith from it. Therefore, its denial will be a means of his deprivation.
59. It means that it is the duty of the created ones that they should sing the praises of their Creator. If there are people among the humans who ascribe defects and faults in their Creator and assign partners to Him, then these acts of their are such as would attract Divine wrath on them. But Allah is Forbearing. He tolerates these acts. He is also Forgiving, therefore, He gives them time so that they may repent and be deserving of His mercy.
60. There are people who are so influenced by the worldly glamour that if they hear the Qur’an being recited or if they themselves recite it, their minds do not accept any influence or impression from it, and the reason behind it is this that there is a Divine Law which rules that whoever is not prepared to accept the truth, he will be deprived of the Divine guidance to accept it. This law functions effectively, but the external eyes cannot see it, that is why it is termed as ‘hidden veil’.
61. Its explanation has been given is Surah Al-An’am, Note No.44.
62. That is: Seeing that the Qur’an that you present before the people mentions only one God and there is no mention of the gods invented by them, nor of their share in godhood, they do not like to hear the Qur’an being recited, nay they turn their backs and run away from it.
63. Points to the leaders of the infidels of Makkah, who if they ever try to listen to Qura’n, it is with the idea of opposing it. Accordingly, they used to hold secret consultations among themselves, and when they used to see one of their companions being impressed by the dawah of the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam), they used to say that he was following a person who has been charmed and bewitched by some magic, and because of that he was talking like a mad man.
This ayah clarifies that the charge of Prophet’s being bewitched was coined by the infidels, which was totally false. It is also clear from this that the Prophet was immune from any influence of magic, as it is a thing which would disgrace the office of prophethood. Therefore, in some of the narratives the mention of Prophet’s having been bewitched by magic by some Jews in Madina is not acceptable and is rejected as they clash with what is stated in the Qur’an. For further explanation, please refer to Note No.6, Surah Falaq.
And your Lord knows best all those who are in the heavens and the earth. We have exalted some prophets above others, and to David We gave the “Zaboor” (Psalms). Say: “Invoke those whom you assume (to be gods) beside Him, they have no power to relieve you of your distress nor to change your condition.” (Al-Quran)
48.+ See what examples they invent for you, thus they have gone astray and cannot find the (right) path.
49.+ And they say: “When we are bones and fragments, will we be raised up as a new creation ?”
50.+ Say:”Be you stones or iron.”
51.+ ”Or some other created thing that is yet greater (in hardness)64 according to your thoughts.” They will say: “Who will bring us back to life ?” Say : “He who created you the first time.” Then they will shake their heads at you, and say: “When will it be ?” Say: “Perhaps it will be soon.
52.+ The day (when) He will call you, you will answer with His praises, and you will think that you had tarried but for a little while.65
53.+ Tell My slaves to speak that which is better. Verily, Satan sows discord among them.66 Verily, Satan is for man an open enemy.
54.+ Your Lord knows you best. If He will, He will have mercy on you, or if He will, He will punish you.67 And (O Prophet !) We have not sent you to be answerable for them.68
55.+ And your Lord knows best all those who are in the heavens and the earth. We have exalted some prophets above others, and to David We gave the “Zaboor” (Psalms).69
56.+ Say: “Invoke those whom you assume (to be gods) beside Him, they have no power to relieve you of your distress nor to change your condition.”70
57.+ Those, whom they invoke, themselves seek the nearness of their Lord— which of them will be the nearest—they hope for His mercy and fear His punishment.71 Verily the punishment of your Lord has to be shunned.
64. That is: After death a man’s body may decompose and become dust or even if it becomes iron or some other harder metal, it would not at all be difficult for Allah to restore it to life again with its body. A Being who has given life to man for the first time, how would it be difficult for the same Being to raise him again on the Day of Resurrection ?
65. On the Day of Resurrection there will be a call from Allah to the entire mankind to present themselves before Him. The entire mankind will respond to His call. Allah’s praises will be on their lips. This will be the voice of the nature which is conversant only with the praises of her Lord.
The presence of mankind before Allah on the Day of Resurrection has been presented in a symbolic way in the rituals of Hajj. Accordingly during the pilgrimage of the House of Allah the slave says ‘I am present in your presence’ and on his lips these words of praises are constantly there:
‘Innal hamda wan ne’mata Lak’ (Praises and gratefulness for you).
People think that the day of Resurrection is far off , but when they will be revived they will feel that the time that passed between their life in the world and the Doomsday was very short, and that their stay in the world of Barzakh was only for a short time and the Day of Resurrection suddenly occurred.
66.That is: Instruct the people of faith not to join issue with the deniers, nor should they say anything which would provoke them, they should adopt the method of explaining and should present their dawah in a nice way. Remember Satan wants to spoil human relations by provoking them and sowing the seed of prejudice, and he does not want that people should accept the truth.
67. This is an address to the common people that their Lord knows best the condition of their hearts, and reward and punishment depend on His will, and His judgment is delivered taking into consideration the internal conditions (intentions) of the people. A person who is prepared to accept the truth with sincerity, Allah bestows His mercy on him, and finding the truth he becomes a deserving recipient of Allah’s mercy. As against this a person who is not prepared to accept the truth sincerely, Allah keeps him deprived of His mercy, and on account of his disbelief he becomes liable for punishment.
68. That is: The duty of the messenger is to convey Allah’s message to the people, he is not responsible for the deeds of his people.
69. The purpose is to prevent people from entering into unnecessary disputation about the superiority of one prophet over the other. The Jews considered Prophet Moosa superior to other prophets, while the Christians thought their Prophet Eesa was the most superior prophet. And the polytheists of Makkah used to spark off the discussions merely for the sake of discussion. This was the background when this command was given that either it may be a prophet or an angel, the fixation of their superiority or greatness was not their task, it was for Allah to do so, for He knows best the entire body of creatures in the heavens and the earth. And so far as the prophets are concerned, if Allah has granted superiority to one prophet from one aspect, then He has granted superiority to another prophet from another aspect, e.g. Prophet Dawood (David) was granted the Scripture-Psalms which in its sweetness and influence is like Qur’an. Therefore, whatever greatness Allah has given to a prophet should be acknowledged, and a prophet’s greatness should neither be exaggerated nor should it be minimized.
There is also similar kind of debate which is very common among the Muslims, that is about the righteous Khalifas (caliphs). They debate as to who is Superior-Abu Bakr(R) or Ali (R). Every proponent sect of the debate has made this debate a part of their belief, although we have not been burdened with the responsibility of fixing their greatness. Only Allah knows well who deserves what degree of greatness, and who holds higher rank according to Him. Then why should we make such topics subjects of our debates and discussion?
70. That is: You are under the wrong impression that besides Allah there are others who can meet your needs. If you do not want to use your common sense and intellect and want to remain under the wrong impression, then fulfill your desire for invoking them in your times of distress. But the fact is that they are neither powerful to relieve you of any of your sufferings nor are they to change your condition from bad to good.
71. Refers to angels and not the idols, for to seek the nearness of Allah, to be hopeful of His mercy and to fear His punishment can be the attributes of the angels only and not of the idols. In the foregoing ayah (No.4) also it was mentioned that the polytheists term angels as the daughters of Allah. Refuting these false beliefs of theirs concerning the angels it is being stated that you consider the angels as influential in Allah’s work, you invoke them for meeting your needs and for solving your problems. But the condition of the angels themselves is that they too seek nearness of Allah and vie with one another to be the nearest to God. If they expect to receive His mercy, they are also in mortal fear of His punishment. Then what is the meaning of invoking them instead of God?
This was about the relation of the polytheists with the angels. But the association of others with God is not limited to this case only. A very large group of Muslims of the present day indulges in dealing with their saints, ‘peers’ in the same Way in which they are supposed to deal with God. They have invented a philosophy of ‘wasta’ and ‘wasila’ (agency and link) and on its basis sometimes they invoke the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) and sometimes their own invented ‘Ghaus’ (helper). Sometimes they appeal to their conjured up ‘Mushkil kusha’ (solver of difficulties) and sometimes seek fulfillment of their desires from their imagined ‘Gharib Nawaz’ (Soother of the poor). Their ‘ulema’ interpret this ayah and other similar ayat in such a strange way that in spite of their polytheistic methods and practices their belief in monotheism is not supposed to be impaired in the least. If they read the Qur’an with an open mind, they will see their folly and will be rightly guided.
There is not a township but We will destroy it before the Day of Resurrection, or punish it with severe punishment. This has been written down in the Book. (Al-Quran)
58.+ There is not a township but We will destroy it before the Day of Resurrection, or punish it with severe punishment. This has been written down in the Book.72
59.+ Nothing hindered us from sending signs except that ancients belied them.73 And We gave Thamud a she— camel—a clear sign - but they wronged her.74 And We do not send signs except for warning75 (people).
60.+ And when We told you that your Lord has encompassed mankind,76 and made the vision which We showed you a test for mankind, 77 and also the Accursed Tree in the Qur’an.78 We warn them, but it increases in them nothing but transgression.
61.+ And when We said to the angels : “Prostrate yourselves before Adam,” they all prostrated themselves79 except this (Satan),80 he said: “Shall I prostrate myself before that which you have created from clay ?”81
62.+ (Moreover) he said: “Have you so decided that You have exalted him above me?82 If you give me respite till the Day of Resurrection, I will verily exterminate all but a few of his descendents.”83
63.+ He said: “Go, whoever of them follows you—verily, Hell is your reward, an ample reward.84”
64.+ And tempt any of them whom you can with your voice,85 and attack them with your cavalry and foot-soldiers,86 and be a partner in their wealth and children,87 and promise them. And Satan promises them only to deceive.88”
65.+ Verily, My (faithful) slaves, —over them you will have no authority,89 and your Lord suffices as their Guardian.”90
72. Means the townships and colonies of polytheists, disbelievers, and transgressors. Accordingly in the foregoing ayah No.16. a point similar to this has been mentioned. Here this divine tradition has been stated that every such township whose residents are guilty of this corruption of belief and action, and are not prepared to give it up, then in their case the divine judgment is that their township will face either total destruction and the residents would be completely exterminated or they would have to taste the severest punishment. The duration of their respite may be however long, in any event either of the two calamities will surely seize them.
History confirms it and in the present times such events are taking place aplenty. For example largely populated cities are destroyed by earthquakes, or Allah’s punishment is making them taste the fruits of their acts in the form of enemy’s aerial bombardment.
It should be noted that this punishment from Allah descends down on the cities because of their general corruption, and if the righteous people residing in these cities are struck by this divine punishment, then in reality this punishment is not a punishment in their case, and on the Day of Resurrection judgment in their case will be given according to their acts. It should also be noted that this punishment is different from that punishment which is meted out to a people who have belied their prophet and the punishment is sent down as a confirmation of the truth of the prophet. In this case a decisive judgment or result in respect of faith and disbelief is obtained, therefore, the prophet and his followers are made to vacate the township before it is subjected to the divine punishment.
73. Here signs mean perceptible miracles.
74. It has been explained in Note No.119, Surah A’raf.
75. That is: The miracles that are being shown by the prophets are not shown merely to strike a note of wonder in the minds of the beholders, but they are shown as a warning for the coming divine punishment that if even after seeing this open sign you do not accept faith, then realise that Allah’s punishment is lurking on your head, and will crack down upon you with all its dire consequences.
76. Points to this ayah of the Surah Burooj which states that:
“But those who disbelieve are engaged in denial. And Allah is surrounding them from the front and the behind” (Surah Burooj 19,20).
It means that Allah has already clarified it beforehand that people in their attempt to belie the prophet will go on raising one or the other objection, but Allah has them in complete control, therefore, they will never succeed in their schemes, and whatever plan Allah has concerning Qur’an and the Prophet, it will surely be materialized.
77. The word used in the text is’ Ar-rooya , which means to see in a state of sleep (dream) or to see also in the state of being awake with the physical eyes (Lisanul Arab, Vol. 14. page 297). And in Bukhari this explanation is narrated through Ibn Abbas : “
It was the observation by the physical eyes which was arranged for the Messenger of Allah (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) in the night of Isra (Ascension).” -(Bukhari -Kitabut Tafseer).
Therefore, it means that physical observation by the eyes, which was shown to the Prophet in his journey to the Aqsa Mosque, and it has been termed as ‘rooya’ because the journey to Baitul Maqdis was executed so speedily and in such extraordinary circumstances that a man can imagine it only to have been performed in a dream. But this was not a dream at all. If it were a dream, it would not have been mentioned with such elaboration and the Quraish also would not have tried to belie him, nor would it have become a means of testing for the people. It could become a means of testing the people only when this observation were to take place in the state of being awake and if it were a physical journey, as is mentioned in the Qur’an.
78. Means the Zaqqum-tree, which is mentioned in Surah Saffat (ayat 62 to 66). This wicked tree will be in the Hell, and the denizens of Hell will satisfy their hunger with its fruits, as if this tree will be a symbol of curse, that is why it is called the rejected one. The deniers received this news with sarcasm and observed that trees would grow even in fire! They ignored that what was being said was about the next world which was quite different from this world, if Allah has made the Zaqqum-tree fire-proof, what is so strange about it.
79. This has been explained in Surah Baqarah, Note No. 47
80. This has been explained in Surah Baqarah, Note No. 48
81. For explanation, please see Surah A’raf, Note No.16.
82. The objection of Iblees against the judgment of Allah was for the reason that man was made the Khalifa of the earth, and he was honoured by asking the angels and Iblees to prostrate themselves before him. Iblees neither had the right to raise any objection nor was that a right objection. Allah has the full authority to give whatever honour he may desire to any of His creatures. None has the right to question His authority or to raise any objection. Then Allah is All-knowing and All-Aware, therefore, all His decisions are based on wisdom and knowledge. And if Iblees could not understand the wisdom of His decisions, or if the good points of His decision were not clear to him, then how could it be right that he should declare Allah’s decision as wrong ?
83. Iblees knew that if man with his feelings and desires were to be tempted in the environment of a world with all its splendour and pleasures, it will be easy to mislead him. Therefore, he confidently claimed that if he is given respite till the Day of Resurrection, he would mislead the entire race of mankind on to the wrong path from its real goal of life, and there will be only a few who would not fall a prey to his temptations.
84. For explanation, please see Surah A’raf, Note No.22.
85. The voice of Iblees, his call and his invitation are towards straying and sinning, for which he communicates secretly suggestions for the purpose. In the modern times the media have provided easy means of communication to Iblees, his voice is being carried to the four corners of the world through radio, television and the newspapers, and day by day his hulla gulla and fanfare are increasing.
86. Means the children of Iblees and his disciples. They attack mankind in the manner of an army. (For further explanation, please see Surah A’raf, Note No.21).
87.By partnership in wealth is meant earning wealth by illegal means and spending it in unlawful ways: gifts and presents for deities other than Allah, spending it for false purpose, to use financial resources to promote evil are examples of meeting the objective of Satan and making him partner in wealth. Partnership in children means that man may consider his children, on a hint from Satan, as a gift and blessing from some devi or devta or some saint, etc., or to make his children polytheists: or infidels, or to give them wrong training and make them follow wrong ways.
88. This has been explained in Surah Ibrahim, Note No.29.
89. This has been explained in Surah Hijr, Note No.39.
90. That is: They will put their trust in Allah, and Allah will be sufficient for solving their difficulty.
It is your Lord who drives for you the ship upon the sea that you may seek of His grace. Verily He is ever Merciful towards you. And when harm touches you upon the sea, all whom you invoke, fail save Him (alone), but when He brings you safe to land, you turn away, for man is ever ungrateful. (Al-Quran)
66.+ It is your Lord who drives for you the ship upon the sea that you may seek of His grace.91 Verily He is ever Merciful towards you.
67.+ And when harm touches you upon the sea, all whom you invoke, fail92 save Him (alone), but when He brings you safe to land, you turn away, for man is ever ungrateful.
68.+ Do you feel secure that He will not cave in the earth (beneath you), or send a sandstorm upon you, and then you will find that you have no protector93?
69.+ Or do you feel secure that He will not return you to that (sea) a second time, and send against you a violent hurricane and drown you for your thanklessness, and then you will not find anybody to question Us ?94
70.+ Verily We have honoured the children of Adam,95 and We carried them on the land and the sea,96 and have made provision of clean things for them,97 and exalted them above many of them whom We created, with marked exaltation.98
71.+ On the day when We will summon all men with their leader ,99 whoever is given his record in his right hand 100--they will read their records101and they will not be wronged a shred.
72.+ And whoever is blind here will be blind in the Hereafter102 and farther from the path.
73.+ And they tried to entice you away from what We revealed to you so that you might invent something other than that (as our revelation); and then they would have accepted you as their friend.103
74.+ And had We not made you absolutely firm, you might have almost inclined towards them a little.104
91. Means lawful earnings.
92. It is proof of the fact that man’s nature is aware of only one God, otherwise what is the reason for a person remembering only one God when surrounded by the danger of a stormy sea.
93.That is: After coming out of the danger of sea storm, when you reach safety of land, you return to your polytheistic attitude, as you do not feel any danger on land, though there is danger on the land too. The land could cave in during an earthquake and you could be buried in it, or the sand storm, with its hurtling stones, could kill you. If Allah would send any such devastating natural calamity, who is there to stop Him from doing it or who is there to question Him?
94. That is: It is also possible that He may arrange for such circumstances that you would be compelled to undertake another sea journey, and there He may again send a violent storm and cause your drowning to punish you for your thanklessness. In such an event who is there who can stand up as your supporter against God and question Him for the action of drowning you?
95. Allah has bestowed honour and blessings on man. He is not sinner by birth nor a mean creature, nor is it correct to place him at the animal level. None of human species or race or class is of a lower class or caste according to their original birth. Every person, whether male or female, having any colour, race or caste, is respectable and an honoured being, an individual of the human race Casteism, untouchability, distinctions of colour and race, and the concept of woman being of lower rank are presumptions that go against man’s respectable birth, and Islam wants to remove all of them.
96. What an honour is this that on the land man is provided with animals for riding over their back and on the sea he is given the ship which can sail as his carriage! And now one more blessing has come his way, he can fly in the air too. If Allah had not granted man ability to ride on the backs of the animals or to invent various modes of carriages, etc., could he have attained this higher position ?
97. Animals eat insects while Allah has blessed man with a highly sophisticated taste for food, and things to satisfy the human taste. He has provided varieties of clean things to serve him as food.
98. The word ‘tafdheela’ used here means highest exaltation. This ayah clarifies that Allah has bestowed on mankind the highest kind of exaltation over all the creatures. So far as the creatures on the earth are concerned, man is the most honoured of the creatures. However some creatures in the heavens may be such as may have some sort of more exaltation than man, as from certain aspects angels have superiority over man, but from some other aspects man has been granted this exaltation that he has been made the object of deep veneration by the angels.
In other words the matter of exaltation between man and angels is not of total exaltation of the one over the other, but of exaltation of one from a few aspects and vice versa. Then this exaltation is according to man’s creation, his energies and capabilities. His real worth will be determined on the Day of Judgment when the result of his deeds and misdeeds will be declared. Therefore, we should not indulge in the debate as to who is superior, angels or man, but that our concern should be that in what way we can make ourselves worthy of the exaltation bestowed on us by Allah. Otherwise as a consequence of his incapability and ingratitude man can reach the nadir of his lowness (Asfalus safileen).
99. That is: Man will have to appear before God on the Day of Resurrection with the being who he had made as his leader in beliefs and practice. Sincere men of faith will gather under the leadership of the Messenger of Allah, as they had made him their leader in all sincerity and had accordingly followed him. As against this the polytheists and the infidels will appear with misguided leaders and the followers of the false religions under the leadership of their astray leader, and founders of false religions.
100. For explanation, please see Surah Inshiqaq, Note No.7
101. That is: They will read their records of deeds with pleasure because the handing over of the records in their right hands is the sign of their success.
102. In the world he had been seeing signs of Allah’s existence, but his heart remained blind to this great reality. Therefore, his recompense will be that in the Hereafter he will remain blind. Further on in ayah No.97 more clarification concerning this punishment is given. It may be noted that on the Day of Judgment man will have to pass through various stages. One stage will be that in which the eyesight of the disbelievers will be very strong, as stated in Qur’an:
......and piercing is your sight this day.” (Qaf-22). This sharpness of the eyesight will be to witness the punishment. The second stage will be that in which they will see their false deities and will call out: Our Lord! These are deities invented as your partners. And one stage will be in which they will be made deaf, dumb and blind and will be driven facing backward into the Hell. (We seek Allah’s refuge from such a punishment!)
103. It gives an idea how much pressure the polytheists were applying to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wa Sallam),to unauthorisedly change the divine scripture. They wanted that if he has not prepared to give up the Qur’an totally, then at least he should make certain changes in it so that there might be found some room for their idolatry being tolerated or justified. On this condition they were prepared to accept the Prophet as a friend.
In the polytheists and the disbelievers of the present day a tinge of this mentality can be seen. They ask the Muslims to present their monotheism in such a way that it should not refute polytheism and idolatry, and should present Islam in such a way that the truthfulness of other religions should not be questioned.
104. That is: The pressure of the polytheists was so heavy that it was not easy even for a Prophet to remain firmly stuck to his stance, but the provision made by Allah for safeguarding the innocence and purity of the Prophet and the divine guidance which is ever available to him assisted him to stick firmly to his mission.
And We are sending down in the form of Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy for believers, but it adds nothing to the evildoers but ruin. And when We bestow favours on man, he turns his back and keeps aloof, and when ill touches him he grows despondent. (Al-Quran)
75.+ Then We would have made you taste a double (punishment) of living and a double (punishment) of dying, then you would have found no helper.105
76.+ And they are trying to unsettle you from the land so that they may drive you away from it, and in that case they would not stay there after you but a little while.106
77.+ Such was our tradition in the case of those messengers whom We sent before you, and you will not find any change in our tradition.107
78.+ Establish salat from the declining of the sun to the darkening of the night, and the recital of the Qur’an at ‘Fajr’. Verily, the recital of Qur’an at ‘Fajr’ is in the divine presence.108
79.+ And during the night perform ‘Tahajjud’ prayer, that is additional (duty) for you.109 It is likely that your Lord will raise you to a praised position.110
80.+ And pray: “My Lord! Cause me to enter wherever I may enter with truth, and cause me to exit from wherever I may exit with truth,111 and give me from Your presence sustaining power.”112
81.+ And say: “Truth has come and falsehood has vanished away. Verily, falsehood was bound to vanish.”113
82.+ And We are sending down in the form of Qur’an that which is a healing114 and a mercy 115 for believers, but it adds nothing to the evildoers but ruin.116
83.+ And when We bestow favours on man, he turns his back and keeps aloof, and when ill touches him he grows despondent.117
105. This is a spine-chilling warning and it is to make it clear to the polytheists that if they expect His messenger to be soft towards their polytheism as a result of their enticement, and if such a situation really came to pass, then it would have been against the high exalted office of prophethood, and on this account the messenger would be liable to receive double punishment in the world as well as in the Hereafter. This statement makes it automatically clear that to expect any compromise with the Prophet on the issue of polytheism is totally useless.
106. That is: The polytheists of Makkah have created such conditions that it was not possible for the Prophet to stay any longer in Makkah and consequently had to migrate from there. If it were to so happen, then they should remember that after the migration of the Prophet they themselves will not be able to stay there for long. Their being seized by the divine punishment is certain.
107. This tradition, rule of Allah is unchangeable that when a township turns out its Prophet, compelling him to migrate to some other town, then after his migration the respite left to the people of the township is soon ended and divine punishment seizes it.
This divine tradition came to be operated in the case of the polytheists of Makkah also. Within two years of the migration of the Prophet from Makkah, the Battle of Badr took place, in which big leaders of the polytheists were killed, and after a few years from thence Makkah was totally cleared of the polytheists. This was the punishment which was meted out, according to the tradition (rule) of Allah, to those who had turned out the Prophet from their township, and had stuck to their polytheism and denial.
108. There are three times when the sun goes down during the day. One when the sun goes down from the middle sky, which is known as ‘zawal’ (decline) of the sun. After this ‘zawal’ the time for the salat of Zuhr (Mid-day) starts. The second time the sun goes down is when the shade of a thing becomes equal to the thing itself. This is the time for the Asr prayer. And the third time of the sun going down is the sun setting totally. This is the time for the Maghrib or evening prayer.
By the darkness of the night is meant that time which starts after the disappearance of the twilight. This is the time for the I’sha prayer and Fajr means the time immediately before the rising of the sun, when the salat of Fajr is offered. Thus there are prayers for five times during the day and night, which have been made compulsory for every Muslim. The details of the times have been mentioned in the ahadith.
By the recital of Qur’an at Fajr is meant the salat of Fajr, and it had been termed as the recital of Qur’an because this distinction of the Fajr prayer is made clear that it is comparatively a prayer with a longer recital of Qur’an, which should be audible. Then the salat of Fajr is termed as ‘Mashhood’ because that time is such when the heart experiences the presence of the Lord near and angels are also said to be present at that time. Accordingly, in a hadith it is stated-
“At that time the angels of the night and the angels of the day remain present.” — (Tirmizi—Abwabut Tafseer).
109. ‘Tahajjud’ means the salat that is to be performed rising from sleep during the night. No time is fixed for this prayer. However, the last part of the night is said to be very propitious.
The Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) was directed that this salat was an additional duty for him, that is besides those which have been mentioned above.
110. ‘Praised position’ (Maqam-i-Mahmood) is that rank of high exaltation which would compel the tongues to move in praise.
When this Surah was revealed, the deniers were bent on causing hurt to the Prophet. They had left no stone unturned to cause the Prophet to be disgraced in the eyes of the people, but Allah at such a time gives this glad tiding to His messenger that He wants to exalt him to such a high position that he would attract praises. This not only proved an encouraging statement for the Prophet, but its truth was also seen by the world. The Prophet’s personality is made praiseworthy in the eyes of every justice-loving person, and the high esteem in which every individual among his followers holds him is well known. Every Muslim in his daily prayers sends the gift of ‘darud’ and ‘salam’ to his beloved Prophet. Then the position enjoyed by him in the world will be surpassed by the position that Allah will grant him in the Hereafter. On the Day of Resurrection his station of praise-worthiness will be very prominent-on the Haudh-i-Kauthar (Tank of Kauthar) and on other occasions.
111. A hint of the fact that the time for migration has come near. Accordingly, only a few days after this the event of migration to Madina took place.
In this prayer the real spirit of migration is reflected, and it is this that his going away should be with truth and honour. Therefore, the migration of the Prophet from Makkah was not an escape or running away, but it was the abandoning of native place in the path of Allah, and his entrance into Madina was not like that of a refugee, but it was the entrance of a great personality for a great purpose. For this reason, his companions received him with open arms and most jubilantly and most sincerely.
112. Sustaining power here means political power, and the attribute of the helper manifests that the power that is desired is such as would help in subjugating the enemies of Islam and in making truth victorious.
This prayer was taught to the Prophet in Makkah and through him to the people of faith, which is a proof of the fact that for the religion of truth the demand of power, victory and political superiority is a desirable and desired thing. Those Muslims who object to the demand of political power for the Muslims for this purpose and want that with Islam no talk of political power be entertained, they obtain their concept of religion not from Qur’an but from some other sources.
113. This was the prophecy of Qur’an that although Islam was oppressed in Makkah at that time, but consider it victorious and consider falsehood as vanished. Within less than ten years of this declaration in the year 08 A. H. Islam entered Makkah triumphantly. On this occasion the Prophet was pushing the Idols kept in the House of Ka’ba with his lance and reciting this ayah: “Truth has come and falsehood has vanished away. Verily, falsehood was bound to vanish.” Thus the scene of the truth coming out victorious and the falsehood vanishing was witnessed by the people and the truth or the Quranic prophecy was fully confirmed.
114. Its explanation has been given in Surah Yunus, Note No.88.
115. Its explanation has been given in Surah Yunus Note No.90.
116. By ‘zalim’ or evil-doers are meant those people who do not want to listen to the talk of justice and truth. How can then such people take the teachings of Qur’an seriously. But to them the message of Qur’an has been convincingly conveyed and their increased opposition to Qur’an increases their own chances of ruin.
117. That is: The condition of man is such that after receiving bounties and favours from Allah he becomes careless and turns away from his benefactor, and when some misfortune befalls him he is disappointed, that is he neither expresses gratitude for the favours nor exercises patience and forbearance. He is expressing the same mentality even after receiving the favours.
Say: “Each man works in his own way, but your Lord knows best who is best guided.” They ask you about the spirit. Say: “The spirit is by my Lord’s command. The knowledge given to you is but little.” (Al-Quran)
84.+ Say: “Each man works in his own way, but your Lord knows best who is best guided.”118
85.+ They ask you about the spirit. Say: “The spirit is by my Lord’s command. The knowledge given to you is but little.”119
86.+ If We pleased We could take away what We have revealed to you, then you would find none to support you against us.120
87.+ Except for mercy from your Lord, verily His grace to you is very great.
88.+ Say: “If men and jinn joined to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce one like it, even if they help one another.”121
89.+ And We have employed in this Qur’an every kind of parable, yet the greater part of men did not respond, except with denial.122
90.+ They say: “We will not believe in you until you make a spring gush from the earth.”
91.+ Or until you have a garden of palms and vines and cause rivers to flow forth in them, full of water.”
92.+ “Or until you cause the sky to fall upon us in pieces, as you have claimed you can do, or bring Allah and the angels before us.”
93.+ Or until you have a house of gold, or you ascend to heaven; and we will not believe (even) in your ascension until you send down for us a book which we can read.” Say: “Immaculate is my Lord! What am I, except a human messenger?”123
94.+ And nothing prevented people from believing when guidance came to them except their saying: ‘What! Allah has sent a human being as a messenger?”124
118. That is: Concerning God and the Hereafter, everybody has fixed his line of action, and everybody has a religion to which he or she is attached, and about whose truth he/she is an assertive claimant. But the definite knowledge about it is possessed only by Allah as to which religion is based on truth. Accordingly, Allah has manifested to you the truthfulness of the Prophet and of his being rightly guided by means of the divine revelations. If people do not believe in it even after this, then they are responsible for their action.
119. Here ‘Rooh’ (Spirit) means revelation (wahi), and in the Qur’an this word has been used as revelation as a technical term (See Surah Nahl, Note No.3), and here its proof is the context in which it is used. The Question was about the revelation, that is the questioners wanted to know the reality about the hidden conveying of messages. Here they are answered that for them it was sufficient to know that this is the decree from Allah. As for the reality as to how this act is executed, this is of the secrets of the Unseen whose knowledge is not held by men, and man is granted only that much knowledge which is essential for him to pass through the life of test and trial. So when the secret behind the process of conveying the revelation has not been disclosed, in view of some great purpose, then insistence on understanding the details of this process is not right, nor is it right to deny it because all its details have not come in the grasp of our knowledge. If man was not aware in the past of the existence of the radio waves, does it mean that they did not exist before. Then if we are not able ourselves to experience the conveyance of revelation, which only the prophets can experience, whose truthfulness is above suspicion, and when their message itself offers the evidence that it is divine revelation, then why should it not be believed ? Will not its denial be the denial of reality ? And by denying the reality, will not we place our lives on the wrong paths ?
120. As Allah has conveyed this revelation to his Prophet, He can also withdraw it. If He does so, there is no power on earth that would be able to restore it. The idea is to make it clear that the revelation is sent down by Allah, and the Prophet has no say in it, and therefore, to consider it as authored by the Prophet is the denial of reality.
121.This is the challenge of the Qur’an that not only one individual, but the whole mankind, nay, not only the mankind, but even all the jinns united together may try to compose a book like Qur’an, they cannot do it. Fourteen centuries have elapsed since this challenge was thrown, but none has been able to meet it.
The fact is that Qur’an is a living miracle of Allah until the end of this world. There is not the slightest exaggeration in this, this is a solid reality. For the explanation of its miraculous aspects, Note No.30, Surah Baqarah may be seen.
122. That is: We have presented the Dawah in the Qur’an in different ways, and have adopted different styles of comprehension and remembrances, so that people of varying tastes may understand whatever style appeals to them, but the condition of many men is such that they persist in their denial and are not prepared to understand anything.
In the modern times a great objection against Qur’an is that it repeats a thing many times, i.e. there is a lot of repetition in it, although Qur’an says that it is a necessity in connection with guidance and comprehension. The fact is that people think that Qur’an is like other books, which are written as an academic exercise or for providing information, while the subject of Qur’an is the guidance from Allah, and the purpose of its revelation is to change the lives of the people and provide ideological and practical training. For guidance and training it is necessary that roadsigns should be clearly indicated at every turning point, and the lesson be repeated according to the appropriateness of the occasion, so that it may be firmly understood. Besides it requires that to clarify the objective various styles should be adopted. In other words what was the merit of the Qur’an turned out to be its demerit in the eyes of these detractors.
It should be noted that same was the style of the other divine scriptures: In the Torah and the Psalms one thing is repeated many times, as if this is the common characteristic of the heavenly books.
123. That is a brief answer to their big and lengthy demands. It means that the Prophet has not claimed to be god and therefore it is meaningless to demand of him to perform such miracles— Allah is free from all association—The prophet has presented himself only as a messenger, therefore, his message should be examined and evaluated. To perform miracles is not within the powers of the Prophet. It is in Allah’s power. (For further explanation, please see Surah Ibrahim, Note No.30).
124. That is: People have their own concept that how a human being, walking on earth, can be a prophet. If God really wanted to send a prophet on earth, He would have sent an angel as His messenger. On account of this false concept they deny a man’s being sent as a prophet, as a result they are deprived of the guidance from God which is revealed to the prophet.
Say: “If the angels were walking the earth contentedly, We would have sent down for them from heaven an angel as messenger.” Say: “Sufficient is Allah as witness between me and you. Verily, He knows and observes His slaves.” (Al-Quran)
95.+ Say: “If the angels were walking the earth contentedly, We would have sent down for them from heaven an angel as messenger.”125
96.+ Say: “Sufficient is Allah as witness between me and you. Verily, He knows and observes His slaves.”
97.+ And he whom Allah guides is rightly guided, and he whom He leaves in error— for him you will find no helper beside Him. And We will assemble them all on the Day of Resurrection, prostrate on their faces, deaf, dumb and blind,126 Hell shall be their abode, whenever its flames will die down, we will rekindle them with increased fierceness.127
98.+ This will be their reward because they disbelieved Our revelations and said : “When we are bones and dust, shall we be raised up as a new creation ?”128
99.+ Did they not see that Allah, who has created the heavens and the earth, has power to create the like of them, 129 and has appointed for them an end about which there is no doubt ? But the wrongdoers refuse everything except disbelief.130
100.++ Say: “Had you possessed the treasures of my Lord’s mercy, you would have surely withheld them for fear of spending.” Man is very miserly! 131
101.++ And We gave to Moosa nine clear signs.132 Ask Bani Israil when he came to them, Firaun said to him: “Moosa, I think that you are bewitched.”133
102.++ He replied: “You know full well that none but the Lord of the heavens and the earth has sent down these eye-opening proofs,134 and I think O Firaun! you are destined to be doomed.”
125.Although angels do come to earth and go back, the creatures that securely and naturally walk on earth and who have been sent here for going through the test are human beings. Therefore, sending of a man as a prophet to human beings is the demand of wisdom, for a prophet’s life is a model for his followers and he is worthy of emulation. If an angel is sent down as a prophet, how can his life be a model for the humans.
126. This has been explained in Note No. 102.
127. That is: The fire of Hell will never die down. The moment its intensity becomes less; it is made to burn with more vigour.
Scientists say that atomic explosions take place in the sun, which maintain its heat at a constant level. This is the condition of the material world. We cannot compare it with the world of the Hereafter. So when Quran informs us about the constant and everlasting burning of Hell fire, what is strange in that?
128. It is the duty of man to believe in the signs of Allah and have faith in the Hereafter. Its denial means disbelief and transgression, and this severe punishment of the Hell fire is the proper reward for such denial and transgression.
129. That is: Such an obvious thing is not understood by these deniers that the Being who has created the heavens and the earth has no difficulty in re-creating or reviving the dead mankind.
130. Occurrence of the Day of Resurrection is beyond any shadow of doubt, and it has been explained by very strong arguments, but those who are false and are wrong-doers are so persistent in their denial that no argument and no proof is acceptable to them.
131 .The purpose is to explain that the Hereafter is the demand of mercy. His mercy is limitless, and by spending nothing diminishes from its treasures. He wants that His sincere slaves should be perpetually blessed with His mercy’ So that they should achieve the ultimate satisfaction. He has created Paradise for the bestowal of His mercy only. Therefore, man’s denial of the Hereafter and his considering of the Paradise as an impossible thing is an absolutely wrong concept of Allah’s attribute of mercy. In fact, man is very narrowminded and miserly. That is why the vastness of Allah’s mercy becomes unacceptable to him. And the condition of these deniers is such that if Allah were to make them the dispensers of His treasures, or would have handed over His treasures of mercy to them, they would have held back their hands and would have deprived the people from their blessings for fear of the treasures being spent. Do they think that God is also like them ? Will there be any decrease in His treasures of mercy if He opens up the gates of His treasures to His sincere slaves ? If such a thinking is not right, then realise that the Paradise is quite in keeping with the demands of wisdom, and for that purpose the next world or the second life is necessary.
132. The nine miracles performed by Prophet Moosa have been mentioned in Surah A’raf, i.e. (1) Turning of the staff into a snake (2) the brilliant hand (3) Famine (4) Shortage in farm produce (5) Storm (6) Locusts (7) Lice (8) Frogs and (9) Blood.
For explanation, please see Surah A’raf Notes Nos. 163, 164, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190 and 191.
133. That is: Bani Israil well know that even after seeing the nine miracles performed by Prophet Moosa, Firaun did not accept the true faith. Nay, he had belied Moosa, saying that he had been under the influence of some magic, that is why he is talking about prophethood. This obduracy of Firaun is being presented before the polytheists of Makkah who were demanding of the Prophet that he perform certain miracles. It is presented as an example, so that they may give up this absurd demand.
134. That is: These signs are sufficient to open the eyes of man and they are the clear proofs of the fact that they have been manifested by the Lord of the universe. In other words, there is no doubt about their being miracles.
103.++ Then he wished to scare them from the land, so We drowned him and those with him, altogether.135
104.++ And thereafter We said to Bani Israil : “Dwell in the land.136 When the promise of the Hereafter comes to be fulfilled, We will assemble you all together.” 137
105.++ We have sent it down with truth,138 and with truth has it descended.139 And We have sent you as naught but a bearer of good tidings and a warner.
106.++ And Qur’an We have divided it into sections that you may recite it to mankind at intervals, and We have revealed it by gradual revelation.’140
107.++ Say: “Believe therein or believe not, verily, those who were given knowledge before it,141 prostrate themselves upon their faces when it is read to them.142”
108.++ Saying: ‘Immaculate is our Lord! The promise of our Lord was bound to be fulfilled.’ 143
109.++” And they fall down on their faces, prostrating themselves, weeping, and their humility further increases.”144
110.++ Say:”Call Allah or call Rahman.145 By whatever name you may call Him, His are the most beautiful names.”146 Offer salat neither with a loud voice nor with a low one but follow between them a middle course.147
111.++ And say: “Praise be to Allah 148 who has never taken son, who has no partner in His sovereignty, nor has He any (need) for a protector for weakness. 149 And proclaim His greatness as is His due.150
135. Bani Israil wanted to leave the country, but Firaun was not allowing them to do so. However subsequently realising that Prophet Moosa, and Bani Israil are creating for him one difficulty or another every now and then, he wanted to keep them away from the country, but in the end Firaun himself had to depart from his land for good. He and his companions were drowned in the sea.
Quraish were also bent on seeing that the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) is made to leave Makkah. Therefore, this event had been narrated to them to enable them to take a lesson from it. But they did not learn anything from it, and they compelled the Prophet to leave Makkah. In the end they themselves had to leave the town when the Prophet entered it victoriously.
136. Means the lands of Syria and Palestine, because after leaving Egypt Bani Israil had reached their native land via the valley of Teeh.
137. That is: Do not think that they have to dwell in the world forever, but remember that the real abode is in the Hereafter, and when the Day of Resurrection will occur, we will gather you all in our presence.
But this lesson was forgotten by Bani Israil. Accordingly, in the available editions of the Torah this event is not at all found recorded. What they remembered was that they got a country in which the rivers of milk and honey flow.
138. The topic mentioned was concerning Qur’an. In between, the subject of miracles came up and the event of Moosa and Firaun was narrated. Now the narration reverts to Qur’an.
139. That is: Qur’an is Truth from top to bottom, and is free from every kind of adulteration. In this neither Satan could interfere nor could anybody else add or remove anything. It was revealed to the Prophet (Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam) in the same way and form in which Allah wanted it to be revealed. And as it was revealed to the Prophet, he conveyed it to the people exactly as it was with absolute honesty.
140. This is the answer to the objection that why the Qur’an was not revealed at one time in the form of a complete book. Allah said that it has been revealed in the form of ayat and surahs gradually in stages, so that the Prophet may read it to the people at intervals.
For those who were the first addressees of the Qur’an, this concession was necessary that in view of the conditions that obtained in consequence of the Prophets dawah, the Qur’an should offer them guidance accordingly. In this way it would be easier for the followers to follow the directions in practice and also understand it.
141. Refers to those people of the Book who had the knowledge of the divine scriptures and were also pious. They immediately understood that it was the Divine word when they heard the Qur’an, and then their condition became as is further described.
142. The word used here means falling by the chin, which has been translated, according to the English idiom, as falling down on their faces. Throwing the chin up is the sign of pride, but the men of faith prostrate themselves before God by lowering their chins, on their faces, in a spirit of humility.
143. That is: The promise of sending a divine messenger with certain attributes, made in the Torah and Injeel, has been fulfilled by the coming of this Prophet, Muhammad, Sallal Lahu Alaihi Wa Sallam.
144. By listening to Qur’an they are so moved that tears come out of their eyes and they prostrate themselves, and thus the listening to Qur’an increases their sense of humility.
Their first ‘sajda’ (prostrating themselves), mentioned in ayah No.107 above, was in celebration of the revelation of Qur’an, and the second ‘sajda’ is the result of their being emotionally moved by listening to the Qur’an.
This is the ayah of ‘sajda’, and on its recitation one should perform a sajda.
145. For the explanation of the word Rahman, please see Note No.5, Surah Fatiha. In Qur’an the word ‘Rahman’ has been used as an attribute of Allah as also as ‘Ism-i-llm’, therefore, it is exclusive for Allah and is not to be used for any other being. The deniers of Qur’an had raised an unreasonable objection as to why two names were being used—Allah and Rahman, which shows that there are two gods, while we know only one Allah and do not know any Rahman. The answer is given to this objection that either you call Him Allah or Rahman, He is one and the same, it does not affect the monotheistic belief. It means that they are indulging in futile wordy debates when the meaning and the reality is only one.
146. For explanation, please see Surah A’raf Notes Nos. 278 and 279.
147. Since the best way to call or invoke Allah is to offer prayer (Salat), it is directed here that it should be offered with all solemnity and in a dignified way. In the salat the voice should not be raised so high and loud that it may seem rowdy nor should it be so low that the ‘muqtadi’ (followers) may not be able to hear the recitation. The right way is to use the voice in a balanced way.
It should be noted that here the discussion is not about what parts of the salat should be loud or low-voiced, but that the salat which are to be offered with audible recitations, care should be taken to be neither very loud nor very low. The recitation should not be so loud that the dignity of the salat be made to suffer nor so low that the followers may not be able to hear it. To avoid both the extremes, the middle course should be adopted and the balanced voice be used, so that the solemnity and peace of salat may be maintained, and those standing in salat behind may be able to hear.
148. This is the concluding portion. The Surah, began with the mention of Allah’s Immaculateness and it is ending with His praise.
149. In this ayah all the three forms of polytheism, indulged in generally by the people of religion, are repudiated; one, the belief of Allah’s being the begotten son, second the concept of some having a share in His kingdom or godhood, and third the idea of someone being His helper.
A helper is needed by one who is helpless. Allah is free from such a want. He is Mighty and All powerful, then why would He need a helper.
150. That is: Proclaim His greatness in such a way that His sublimity is fully expressed and the defects and weaknesses that the polytheists ascribed to Him are convincingly repudiated. Allahu Akbar (Allah is the greatest), the words which are repeated in the Azan and salat are the acknowledgement and expression of the sublimity and greatness of Allah.